From the minute the reboot was announced, most were a bit taken aback. A reboot for the 1985 classic “Fright Night” starring Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowell, really? But stranger things have happened. I mean for god sakes, the reboot of “Conan the Barbarian” is also in theaters this weekend too.
In general, the new movie is a stylized update of the original, which believe me if you have tried to go back and watch the original, it NEEDED it. Not a movie that held up well to the test of time. A few things have changed and the changes make sense. This time around the story moves from small town to Las Vegas, a town where blacking out ones windows and being nocturnal are completely normal. Plus, add to the fact that the housing market is in ruins, which this is addressed in the movie, and leaves plenty of vacant homes and families moving on.
One of the other major updates to the story is the changing of the character of Peter Vincent. In the original, Roddy McDowell played the former actor turned late night horror movie host, and the updated version gives us David Tennant, better known to most as the 10th Doctor on the British television show “Doctor Who”, and this time Peter Vincent is the stylized Vegas act called “Fright Night” which is akin to a Criss Angel type of show. And Tennant is brilliant as the drunken, cowardly jackass who eventually comes to the aid of the story’s main hero, Charlie Brewster.
Charlie, played by Anton Yelchin (also a reboot veteran since starring in “Star Trek” last year) as the teen trying desperately to leave behind the geeky image of his past. Imogene Poots plays Charlie’s hottie girlfriend Amy and Charlie’s mom is played by Toni Collette, who really doesn’t get a lot of screen time. Then again, the mom wasn’t really a major character in the first one either.
And that brings us to Jerry. Yes, the vampire next door, Jerry. A name that is made fun of several times and really it was always part of the joke. Colin Farrell was perfect. Dark, devious, sexy, gorgeous, brooding, violent and yet has excellent comedic timing for the funny moments in the script
And yes, the comedy of the first movie still stays put. It embraces what it was, a slasher horror flick, gratuitous gore, and quirky humor. Plus if you do remember the original, there’s a cameo in it that will have you laughing your ass off.
So, while there are movies that have no business being remade (like “The Crow”….can someone stop that one before it’s made, PLEASE?) this one is a refreshing update and a fun ride.
And yes, it looks like they did embrace the 3D aspect of the film, but we saw it in 2D, because, it really doesn’t change much. In short, great performances from the entire cast and a really awesome vampire movie that didn’t come close to the flaming pile of poo that I was worried it may turn into.
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